A New Era is Ushered In For Misselthwaite Manor
by LadyByTheLake55
Summary: This is Chapter 4 of Return to Misselthwaite Manor


Return to Misselthwaite Manor

Written by LadyByTheLake 55

&

Mrs. Frances Hodgson Burnett

Chapter Four: A New Era for Misselthwaite Manor

Lord Collin and Lady Mary had only been married for three months before Lady Mary shared the good news with Lord Collin that she was enceinte with their first child due in late April of 1924.

They were both very surprised and delighted that their family was starting so soon after their marriage.

Lady Mary would often go out into the garden and walk around. She would sit on the marble bench and while Dickon and Ben Weatherstaff were doing their gardening she would talk to them.

Lord Collin had taken a prestigious position in the House of Lords to represent the district of Yorkshire. He would have James drive him back in forth from London to Misselthwaite Manor every day.

Lady Mary would look at the window watching for Lord Collin to drive up their drive way and get out of the limousine. It was not that Mary minded the peace of Misselthwaite Manor but she missed Lord Collin while he was away in London.

Mary would dress and go out in sit in the garden reading all day. Sometimes Dickon would stop by and talk to her and she would look up and say, "The garden looks so wonderful this year."

"Aye Lady Mary Will and I have been working hard to keep it beautiful." Dickon said.

Dickon looked at Mary and said, "Ye look lonely Lady Mary."

"I am lonely without my dear Collin around me. I am three months pregnant with our first child." Mary said, "I have a long way before this baby makes her or his way into the world."

"What do ye want first Lady Mary?" Dickon asks

"I haven't given it much thought; I would accept either a boy or girl as long as they are healthy." Mary said

"What does Lord Collin want first?" Dickon asks

"He has not said, I think he just wants a healthy baby." Mary replies.

"We have picked out the names together. We have chosen Lady Elizabeth Lily Rose for a girl and Lord Collin Harry Albert for a boy." Mary said

"We will call the little girl Lily and the little boy, Albert." Mary says closing her book.

"Are ye not a little bit worried Lady Mary?" Dickon asks

"Yes I am but the doctor has told me I am strong and healthy." Mary said, "I should have no trouble delivering and giving birth to our baby."

"Our baby will be born two months before our first wedding anniversary." Mary says. "We want three children but we have talked it over and we would space our children whereas none of them will be neglected."

"Three is a goodly number." Dickon said.

"You my dear Dickon, have you not found your lady-love." Mary asks

"Nay my Lady Mary I have not, because in my heart I will always love you." Dickon said.

"Oh Dickon don't you understand nobility and common country folks don't mix." Mary said, "It is just the way it is."

"You and I will always be friends of the deepest kind, but nothing improper must ever happen between us. I am Lord Collin's wife and the mother of his child." Mary said.

"I am sure one day you will find a nice girl in your own caste and be happy." Mary says.

"I am not much older than you are Lady Mary; I have not found her yet." Collin said.

"You will my dear friend you will find her." Mary says.

"There is none out there for me Lady Mary. I will live and die a bachelor." Dickon says.

"No Dickon you will not live and die a bachelor. You will find that lady love that you will fall in love so deeply." Mary says, "Just have faith."

Mary is talking to Dickon and she hears someone call out her name "Mary where are you?"

"I am in the garden with Dickon Collin." Mary calls back.

Collin walks through the gate of Lily's Garden and walks around the path that leads into the rose garden where Mary likes to sit and read.

"There you are my dear Mary. I didn't find you inside so I thought you might be outside in the garden." Collin said.

"I am sitting down and Dickon and I were just chatting away." Mary says kissing Lord Collin and he kissing her back.

"How are you doing my dear friend Dickon?" Collin asks

"I am well enough Lord Collin." Dickon said.

"I am glad to hear it I must say that Will and you are doing a magnificent job taking care of the garden." Collin said.

"Aye Lord Collin it is looking good." Dickon said.

"Call me Collin please Dickon; we have been friends since childhood." Collin says.

"If you wish Lord Collin I will call you Collin." Dickon replies.

"Did you hear our good news my dear Mary is expecting our first child in late April of 1924." Collin said happily.

"Aye I have heard of the good news and I give ye my congratulations on the birth of your first child." Dickon said.

"What are ye hoping for Collin?" Dickon asks

"I don't care just as long as the baby and Mary come out of it just fine." Collin said.

"How was your day in the House of Lords?" Mary asks

"My day is the same as every other day. None of the Lords can agree on anything." Collin said.

"I am sorry to hear that you must be tired and hungry. It is growing late. Will you please excuse us Dickon." Mary asks

"Aye I pray you both have a good evening." Dickon said and Mary stands up and Lord Collin offers her his arm and they walk out of Lily's Garden together.

"My dear Mary I don't want you tiring yourself out." Collin says, "The doctor says you must rest."

"I do rest my dear husband but the garden is the most peaceful place for me to read in." Mary says.

"I know how much you love the garden. I love it too but I am concerned with your health." Collin said.

"My dear Collin the doctor says I am strong and healthy and should have no problems bringing this baby into the world at the proper time." Mary says allowing Collin to lead her into the study.

"I see that Mrs. Medlock has brought us in fresh tea and scones." Mary said.

"Yes I see she is up to her same proficient self." Collin said.

"Come and join me for tea and scones. My days are lonely without you being by my side." Mary tells Collin.

"My days are lonely without you next to me." Collin said, " We will have plenty of time to be with each other as soon as the House of Lords closes it session down right before the holidays."

"Collin Oh Collin, I need you so. " Mary says,

"I am right here my dear Mary." Collin says

"I am not use to not having you around all the time. I know I am being silly but Misselthwaite Manor is a lonely place without your presence." Mary said.

"No my dear Mary you are not being silly." Collin said, "I miss you as much as you miss me while I am in London." Collin replies.

Mary pours Collin his tea and gives him three scones on a china plate. She hands him the plate and plate with tea cup on it.

"Why don't you come in to London with me sometime my dear Mary? While I am at the House of Lords you can go shopping. You will need some maternity clothes soon enough." Collin said.

"Yes you do have a point." Mary says, "Yes I think I will go into London with you."

"Wonderful we can have lunch together. I want to show off my beautiful wife to all of London." Collin says proudly.

Mary looks at Collin and says, "Please Collin don't place me on show. I am not that kind of young woman."

"I know you are a modest young woman." Collin said, "I would not show you off too much."

Mary looks at Collin and says, "I have never been like my late mother the socialite who loved to be adored and loved by all."

"I am content just in being your wife and soon to be the mother of our child." Mary says.

Mary walked around for a while; she looked out at the bay window that looked out into their garden. She came over and joined Collin on the couch.

"You look tired dear Mary." Collin said.

"I am pregnant I tired easily." Mary says, "I think I will stay in bed tomorrow as I am feeling fatigued."

"What an excellent idea. Martha can tend to your needs." Collin said.

"Collin before the baby is born do you think it might be possible that we go to France or maybe Italy for a little while." Mary asked.

"Do you think that a wise idea in your condition." Collin inquires.

"I am well enough and winter will be here soon enough. I would love to go somewhere that is warm and sunny." Mary said, "We could come back right after spring begins and the weather is warm once again."

"Yes we could go away for the holidays." Collin said, "It might be a good idea."

"I will see to the travel arrangements and we will go into sunny Southern Italy where it is warm and sunny all the time." Collin said, "We will find a small cottage that has a garden on the grounds for you to go into." Collin said.

"Thank you my dear Collin. I just can't bear to be shut inside all winter long when I know some countries are warm and sunny." Mary said.

"Father was particularly fond of Southern Italy or Spain." Collin said.

"Collin when we are in Italy may we please visit the Vatican City?" Mary asks

"Yes there are a lot of tourist attractions in Italy." Collin said.

"I hear that The Roman Pontiff gives Mass in St. Peter's Square. Even Protestants like us flock to hear him do Sunday Mass." Mary said.

"We will go where you want my dear Mary." Collin said.

"I want to thank you from my heart my dear Collin." Mary says

"You are very welcome. I am delighted to see you so happy." Collin says.

"Oh yes I am very happy about our trip together." Mary said

"Let us think of our trip as our belated honeymoon." Collin said

"Yes what a wonderful idea we will turn our trip into our honeymoon." Mary said delighted.

Collin was happy to see Mary so happy about their trip to Southern Italy. It would be good for them both to get away before their baby was born.

Surely enough there would be no time once their child was born. They looked forward to their first child with much anticipation.

Mary would sing as she did her daily tasks as Grand Mistress of Misselthwaite Manor.

Lord Collin always said Lady Mary had the voice of the sweetest nightingale.

He loved to hear her sing while she played the piano or harp. She had also mastered the mandolin an instrument from Russia.

Collin would sit in the study and listen to Lady Mary sing as she did her daily chores by helping the household staff. Collin smiled as he knew he was blessed by having such a devoted and dutiful wife in Mary.

Collin knew he would never love another woman as much as he loved Mary.

She was charming, warm, and loving. Yes Lord Collin thought how lucky and blessed he was.

While Lord Collin did his work in the study, Lady Mary would walk outside to get some much needed exercise and then sit on their porch outside and read her book.

Collin every now and then would walk over to the sliding door and look out to see Mary. She would contently sit out in her comfortable chair and read her book. Martha had brought out her tea and scones.

Collin would watch her and smile, and Mary would look up and smile back and go back to her reading.

Lord Collin finally got up and opened the sliding door that lead out to their balcony and went to join Mary.

"I could not help myself when I saw you out here so contently reading your book I knew I had to join you." Collin said.

"How do you expect to do your work if you are outside with me?" Mary asks

"Work can wait I would rather much spend it with my beautiful wife." Collin said taking Mary in his arms and kissing her. She kissed him back and said, "Collin my love I don't want to keep you from your work."

"You are not keeping me from my work. I walked away from it." Collin laughed.

"It is so boring." Collin said, "I would rather be with you."

"My dear Collin when is the last time you picked up a good book and read it?" Mary asks

"You know I am not sure it must have been at Oxford." Collin said.

"Your late father has the most extraordinary library with first edition books." Mary said, "I am sure you can find a good book to read if you will only look."

"I have never been the one much to read not even in college." Collin said.

"I am glad that you are enjoying my late father's library. It would make him happy to know that you do enjoy." Collin said.

"Yes I do enjoy Uncle Archie's library just as much as I enjoy our garden. I also enjoy the music room with the piano, harp, and mandolin." Mary says.

Collin just smiles at Mary as she is bright and loves to learn new things.

"When we get to Italy I know what will cheer you up, we will go dancing." Collin said.

"I love to dance, I love to sing, but most of all I love you my dear Collin and I love the child I am carrying deep inside me. I can hardly wait to hold the baby in my arms." Mary said.

"I am the happiest woman in all of England." Mary said, "I am happy because I have a loving husband and a baby on the way."

Collin just smiled at his happy and beautiful wife. She glowed with anticipation on their first child and she glowed because they would be going to Southern Italy to enjoy the warm weather while in England it was cold and blustery.

Mrs. Medlock knocks on the study door and says, "Can I get Lady Mary and you anything Lord Collin?"

"No not right now, but Mrs. Medlock Lady Mary and I are going away until the spring time returns to England. We are going to Southern Italy. You will be in charge of the Manor while we are not here." Collin said.

"I promise to do my best Lord Collin." Mrs. Medlock said, "Would you have any idea if Lady Mary is taking Martha with her."

"I expect she is taking her lady in waiting with her." Collin said, "So it will only be Betty,, the Cook, and you here to manage the affairs of Misselthwaite Manor."

"Lady Mary doesn't like to be locked up during the winter months. She needs the sun and warn weather." Collin said.

"I understand Master Collin. The harsh English winters up here in Yorkshire can be long and boring." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Mary is pregnant with our first child. I want her to be happy." Collin said

"Lord Collin every time I see Lady Mary is always smiling and helping out with the house hold duties." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Yes My Mary doesn't like to be lazy. She likes to keep herself busy." Collin said.

"I have never seen such a beautiful bride in all of my life when I saw Lady Mary enter the church and garden to marry you." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Yes it was a memorable day for both of us." Collin said, "All those years Lady Mary and I were separated from each other were hard on both of us."

"Lord Collin when you wrote me asking me for Lady Mary's address I was told by your late father not to give it to you. He said to me, "Mrs. Medlock at the proper time Lord Collin and Lady Mary will be brought back together." Mrs. Medlock said.

"The day I drove into La Francois Academy and Madame Dubois opened the door and invited me into the guest room; I could hardly wait to see Mary." Collin said.

She walked through the door and when I saw her my heart started to pound so fast. I knew we would never be separated again and I was right." Collin said.

"Mary blossomed into the most beautiful young woman. She had the most beautiful raven hair like Aunt Rose, and those eyes, they were so much like mothers." Collin said.

"I will never love another such as Lady Mary just as father could not love another after mother passed away." Collin said.

"Mary and I read some of love letters sent to her from father. He was so much in love with the girl from the valley." Collin said, "He called her Lily of the Valley in so many love letters."

"Lord Collin your mother while she was alive kept a diary or journal on her daily life and when she met your father and when they married. She was not considered good enough to marry your father. So your father waited until his father passed on, and he went immediately to your mother and asked for her hand in marriage and she accepted his proposal." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Is it in her Hope Chest in her parlor?" Collin asked

"I have no idea but once we start to clean your father's room we may find it." Mrs. Medlock said.

"You have my permission to clean up father's room and get rid of everything that we don't need." Collin said.

"Lord Collin in your late father's room there is a small silver frame with a photograph of your late Aunt Rose, Lady Mary's mother and your late mother together in the garden. I understand that Lady Rose and Colonel Albert came to visit Lady Rose and Lord Archibald right before they sailed off for India." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Lady Rose and Lady Lily were third cousins. Lady Rose's father was a younger son of Colonel Lennox's father brother and his wife. They died in a carriage accident. So therefore, your grandfather took Lady Rose in and she grew up with Colonel Albert and Ms. Lily. Colonel Lennox not help falling love in the vivacious Lady Rose. She was so pretty to look at just like Ms. Lily was. Colonel Lennox asked Lady Rose to marry him, and in 1898 they were married and the following year they did attend Lord Craven's wedding to Ms. Lily." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Lord Craven and Lady Lily received a letter from Lady Rose that she was expecting a baby in July of 1900. Colonel Lennox was happy about the child but the mother was not." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Lady Lily wrote Lady Rose and Colonel Lennox, her brother telling them that Lord Archibald and she were expecting their baby in October of 1900, both of them were happy about it." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Well Lady Lily had an accident in her garden. She was hurt so bad that she held on long enough to deliver you and bring you into the world. You were a tiny little thing and no one knew if you would live or die." Mrs. Medlock.

"The last thing Lady Lily did according to Mrs. Sowerby is she asked to see you and said, "We will call him Collin." She took you in her arms kissed and blessed you. She turned to Lord Archibald and said, "Forgive me Archie, Forgive me for I will not be here to take care of the child of our love. "

She placed you in your late father's arms, and she laid back on her pillow, closed her eye and the last thing she told your father was I love you Archie and she died peacefully." Mrs. Medlock said.

Dr. Craven, Lord Craven's third cousin took care of all the funeral and internment services for your late mother. Your father was mourning your mother and shut himself away in his study for three weeks. He would allow me to serve him his meals but all he could do was crying Lily, Lily, how can I live without you in my life." Mrs. Medlock said,

"Dr Craven gave the outfit that your late mother wore in her internment. " Mrs. Medlock said.

Collin listened as Mrs. Medlock talked to him about the romance between his late father and mother.

"It is all in your late mother's diary or journal and so much more." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Thank you Mrs. Medlock for sharing this with me." Collin said.

"You are most welcome Lord Collin." Mrs. Medlock said with a curtsey and walked away.

Lady Mary walks in the room and says, "What is it my dear Collin?"

"I was just talking to Mrs. Medlock and she told me my late mother and your late Aunt Lily kept a journal of her romance and marriage to father." Collin said.

"My dear Collin, most young woman during that time kept journals of their romance, engagement, and marriage and everything in between." Mary said.

"Our mothers were young when they married. They were nearly 20 years old when they had us." Mary said.

"Mary I want to find Mother's journal. It is the only way I am ever going to know her." Collin said.

"I believe I saw several journals in her Hope Chest." Mary said, "I however don't want to know anything about my late parents. They were never parents to me. They left me in the care of Ayahs, governesses as well." Mary said.

"Mary in my late father's room is a silver frame picture of our mothers together out in Lily's Garden." Collin said.

"Did Uncle Albert or Aunt Rose ever talk about mother and father when you were growing up in India?" Collin asks

"I was so young at the time; I saw pictures of Aunt Lily and mother in my late mother and father's room." Mary said, "One time I heard my late mother bring up the fact that Aunt Lily married a man with an infirmity."

"My late father told mother that as long as his sister was happy with the man she married that is the only thing that mattered to him." Mary said.

"My mother said laughing, "Lily married a cripple and watch her children turn out to have same infirmity as their father."

"Father got mad and told Mother she wasn't to speak ill of his sister and brother-in-law." Mary said, "The discussion ended."

"I know my dear Collin that my late father and your late mother were very closed with their cousin Dr. Craven. Father loved his sister." Mary said.

"The procedure to get rid of any contamination from the cholera outbreak was burn everything so it couldn't spread any farther than the government house where we lived." Mary said.

"The military hospital was so crowded with the adults falling sick and dying so quick so many of us children who were not infected by the outbreak were processed as fast as possible and placed on a boat to take us back to India."

Mary said.

"The Government House found papers that father and mother had left stating if anything ever happened to them my guardianship and welfare was to be given to my father's sister and husband, Lady Lily and Lord Archibald Craven of Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire, England." Mary said.

"When I arrived in England it was a cold and rainy day. Mrs. Metlock picked me in Liverpool and from there we took the coach back to Misselthwaite Manor." Mary said.

"Collin for many years I use to watch my mother from a distance. I thought her quite pretty and lively. When she was socializing she was at her best. She totally forgot me sometimes but father, dear father, as busy as he was with his military duties never forgot my birthday or Christmas." Mary said.

Mary was quiet after that and said, "That was in the past we have the present and future to look forwards too."

"Yes we have the rest of our lives to live for each other." Collin said.

"Yes and that is all that matters our baby, you, and me. " Mary said.

Collin kisses Mary and she returns the kiss and says, "All we will ever need is our love for each other and our child and our garden."

Mary says, "We must go and get packed. We will be leaving in a couple of days for sunny Southern Italy."

"I so do look forward to going to Southern Italy to get away from the cold, Yorkshire winters." Mary said.

Although summer was in Yorkshire, it would soon enough turn into a blustery cold autumn followed by a very cold and harsh Yorkshire winter.

Mary climbed the stairs to go to their compartment and started to pack. She was singing and dancing because she was happy at last she could put her past behind her and live in present and in the future. It had taken Lady Mary 18 years to be able to put her past behind her. She was free from her horrid childhood.

Lady Mary knew she could now move on and be content with the life that Collin and she had made for each other.

Collin is standing by their compartment door and Mary is singing a French song call "Je suis enfin libre de ma passé et Je pouvoir vie encore."

"Je pouvoir vie encore sans le ombre de ma passé récurrent me et Je suis libre."

Mary turns around and asks, "Gracious how long have you been standing there at our door Ma Amour?"

"I have been standing at our door listening to you sing once again. You were so vibrant and sung like a song bird." Collin said.

"I was singing a French love song called, Je Suis Libre Encore." Mary said.

"It is about letting go of your past and living for the present and future." Mary said, "That is how I feel I am living for us, and our present and future."

"It is a lovely song." Collin said.

"I love music Collin; it is one of the things I can to appreciate why I was locked away at La Francois Academy. The music room and library were the two most peaceful rooms in the Academy next to the outside garden in back." Mary said.

"Mrs. Metlock has our dinner ready down in the study. I thought we could spend a quiet evening listening to the radio." Collin said.

"What a wonderful idea oh yes I would love that just the two of us." Mary said.

"Come my dear Mary, let us go to the study, eat our dinner, and turn on the BBC and listen to music." Collin said.

Mary walks over to Collin, he gives her his arm, and they walk down the corridor and down the winding staircase to the cozy warm study to eat their dinner.

They walk down the stairs and finally come to the foyer that leads then into the study.

Mrs. Medlock in and says, "I have your dinner Lord Collin and Lady Mary."

"Thank you Mrs. Medlock just place the food on the table." Collin says.

"Yes Lord Collin." Mrs. Medlock replies and does as she is asked; she curtseys and walks out of the study.

"I see the Cook has made us a lovely dinner." Collin said.

"Yes it looks delicious but oh heavens it is making me nausea to just smell it." Mary says,

"How long has this been going on my dear Mary?" Collin asks

"It was not so bad at the beginning of my pregnancy but as my pregnancy progresses every thing tends to me nausea." Mary said

"If this continues whereas you can't eat much I will have no choice but to call the doctor and he will give you something to help the nausea so you can eat." Lord Collin says to Lady Mary.

"I am pregnant all women experience it." Mary says

"This maybe so but if you don't eat how to do you expect to have a healthy baby." Collin asks

"I drink plenty of milk; I eat plenty of vegetables and fruit." Mary says.

"I am glad to hear some things don't make you nauseated." Collin says.

"It will pass the doctor has told me as soon as I enter into my second trimester." Mary replies.

"The first three months are always the hardest." Mary says, "After I get through the first three months I will be fine."

"I will still call the doctor if you don't get an appetite soon." Collin says.

"Call the doctor because I am pregnant I think he already knows this Collin dear." Mary laughs.

"This no laughing matter my dear Mary." Collin says seriously

"Why do men take a woman's pregnancy so serious my you would think that you are the one that is pregnant and carrying the baby." Mary laughs, "Collin dear I do take my pregnancy serious."

"I hope so I want a healthy baby and a healthy wife after this ordeal." Collin says.

"The doctor assures me I am very healthy and I will have no trouble bringing forth our child." Mary says, "I am tired I think I will go lay down."

"Good idea you need your rest." Collin says.

Mary walks over to their bed, takes off her shoes, and climbs into bed and plumps her pillows.

Mary smiles at Collin and says, "You worry too much."

"I don't think so my dear Mary remember how my late mother died." Collin said.

"Collin my love Aunt Lily had an accident in her garden and she was hurt so bad that there was nothing Dr. Craven could do for her." Mary said, "She did hang on long enough to give birth to you, to hold you and kiss you until she passed away." Mary said.

"I can assure you I will have no accidents and I will take good care of myself." Mary says as she lies on the bed.

"I will leave you so you may get your nap. The bell is on your nightstand so if you need Martha ring for her." Collin said.

"I will not need Martha for sometime." Mary said lying back on her pillows.

"Have a pleasant nap my dear Mary. I will be back to check on you later." Collin said.

"Alright I am not going any where." Mary says and closes her eyes, within minutes she is fast asleep.

Collin walks out of the door, down the corridor and down the stairs to his study to finish some unfinished work. His immediate thoughts are on Mary.

Mrs. Medlock shows up at the door and says, "May I get you something Lord Collin."

"No I am fine but thank you Mrs. Medlock. Lady Mary is resting." Collin said.

"Lady Mary needs to rest more." Mrs. Medlock said, "I wouldn't worry about her to much she is young and healthy and she doesn't over do it."

"I can't help but to be worried about her. She hardly touched her dinner." Collin said.

"Lord Collin pregnant woman in their early months rarely eat anything. Everything they look at makes them nausea." Mrs. Medlock assures Lord Collin.

"Mary's morning malaise will end after the second three months come. She will be her normal self." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Medlock have you ever had a child?" Collin asks

"No unfortunately Lord Collin, my husband died before we could have children. He was much older than me. You can ask Mrs. Sowerby she is a trained mid-wife and has helped Dr. Craven deliver many babies." Mrs. Medlock said.

"We have a new specialist that delivers babies only." Collin said, "They call them obstetricians."

"I have heard of them and they are very skilled. Lady Mary is in good hands." Mrs. Medlock tells Lord Collin, she curtseys and walks out of the room leaving Collin to do his work. His mind is on Mary who is upstairs fast sleep.

Collin stayed downstairs in his study, but he couldn't seem to concentrate so he started upstairs to check on Mary. The door was open and he peaked in to check on Mary. He found Mary fast asleep and looking quite peaceful.

Martha saw him standing in the door and said, "Lord Collin, can I do anything for you?"

"No thank you Martha I am just checking on Lady Mary." Collin said, "I see she is still a sleep."

"Aye Lady Mary is a sleep. She looks peaceful." Martha said

"I am worried about Lady Mary." Collin said

"Worried about what Lord Collin?" Martha asked

"I guess I am just a little worried since she became pregnant." Collin said

"Lord Collin women folks have been having babies since the beginning of time. We women folk are use to it." Martha said, "I don't have any younglings myself but me mother has ten children."

"Thank you Martha, we have called in an obstetrician to help with the delivery along with your mother as a mid-wife." Collin said.

"Me mother has delivered every baby around these parts for many a year." Martha said.

"I trust your good mother I am thankful that she is a mid-wife." Collin said.

"She will be glad to hear that." Martha said, "Let my lady sleep."

"Thank you Martha I will. Come up and check on her and make sure she has her evening tea and scones. She hasn't been eating that much she was most things makes her nausea." Collin said.

"I will have the Cook brew her some nice chamomile tea and fresh scones with butter that is not too heavy for her to eat." Martha said

Collin looks on at Mary as she sleeps and walks down the stairs back to her study.

While Mary is sleeping she has a dream about her late mother and father. They are India and Mary is 8 years old looking in through the door watching her mother dress for a social.

Lady Rose is talking to her husband, Mary's late father, "Albert whatever are we going to do with Mary?"

"What do you mean my dearest Rose?" Albert asks

"Is there somewhere we can't send her so I don't have to see her?" Rose asks

"No Rose I will not send Mary away we are her parents. You don't have to see your daughter but I will continue to see her when I have time." Albert says.

Rose is quiet and Mary comes out of her sleep crying, "Oh Mother what did I ever do to you where you would hate me so much and want me out of your sight?'"

"I don't know why you hated me so much. I never kept you from your socials, teas, parties, are from your gay friends." Mary cried.

Collin hears Mary cry and said" Mary why are you crying?"

"Oh Collin I had a terrible nightmare about mother and father is in it. She wanted to send me away but father wouldn't let her." Mary cried.

"Mary my dearest it was only a dream. Dreams mean little or nothing." Collin said holding her, "You are doing yourself no good by getting upset because of a bad dream."

"Collin I never knew how much my late mother didn't love me." Mary said, "But father loved me."

"Father always spoke kindly about Uncle Albert." Collin said.

"Put it behind you my dear Mary." Collin said in a comforting tone.

"Yes I will, and I am still dreadfully tired." Mary said

"You need to wake up and drink some fresh chamomile tea and fresh scones with butter. If you eat something you will feel better and the tea will have a calming effect on you." Collin said.

"Yes I am hungry and thirsty." Mary said letting Collin take her by the hand.

Mary sits down at the table and starts to pour herself a cup of tea and takes two scones with butter and places them on a china plate in front of her.

"Will you join me dear Collin?" Mary asks

"I will be glad to join you." Collin says

Collin sits down and joins Mary for tea and scones.

"How are you feeling now my dearest Mary?" Collin asks

"Much better thank you." Mary said sipping her tea and eating her buttered scone."

"We will feel so much better when we leave for our trip for Sunny Italy." Collin tells Mary, "It is what we need sunshine and warn days and cool evening but not cold evenings." Collin said

"Oh yes I will be so glad to get away from the cold winters of England." Mary said, and when we return it will be spring."

"I am glad to see you feeling much better. I know haw hard it is when we have to face up about our parents." Collin said

"Oh Collin Uncle Archie wasn't that bad, he was in mourning for Aunt Lily. However, I did nothing to my mother to make her hate me so much." Mary said.

"Mrs. Medlock told me about some letters that mother had written Aunt Rose and Uncle Albert and one of the letters Aunt Rose wrote to her, "So Lily you have gone in married that gentleman with the infirmity on his back. What in the world were you thinking? What about your children Lily, what if they have the same infirmity as their father all of them crippled." Aunt Rose signed it your cousin and sister in law, Rose Lennox." Collin said.

"I read a letter that Mother wrote Rose, but never had a chance to send it.

Dear Rose: How can you write me this way and tell me what to do with my life. I am truly blessed in finding such a devoted husband as I have in Archie. I never thought you could be so mean." Yours, Lady Rose Craven.

"Mother was truly mean woman. She may have been good looking but she had a nasty temper." Mary said.

"Father said that Rose did not even respond when he wrote her and told her that mother had passed away in child birth resulting to an injury she sustained in the garden." Collin said.

"Father did receive a letter from Uncle Albert and he showed it to me, it read "Dear Archibald, I grieve over the news over the lost of my dear sister, Lily. I know it must break your heart that she had to leave you so soon. Lily did you behind my nephew so please take care of Collin and yourself. You are in my prayers and thoughts", Sincerely, Colonel Albert Lennox, New Delhi, India.

"I don't know how long father was in touch with Uncle Albert. He left a lot of unopened letters on his desk." Collin said.

"It must be hard to lose someone you love so much." Mary said, "I did not cry when mother and father died. I didn't know how."

"My dear Mary what good would it do if you did cry for them even now. They have been dead for 13 years and mother was been dead for 23 years. "Collin said.

"Yes it has been a long time. I wanted to cry and feel like the rest of the children who survived the epidemic of cholera." Mary said, "Mrs. Crawford brought me back to England with her. She dressed me carefully in a black and Mrs. Medlock met us in Liverpool."

"All I hear from Mrs. Medlock was what plan little thing she is. I heard that her mother was a beauty. She didn't get much of it."

"Mrs. Crawford said, "Give her time she will change and blossom out."

"I don't know how she will do it out at Misselthwaite Manor." Mrs. Medlock said.

"Mrs. Medlock was wrong you can see she was wrong about both of us." Collin said.

"Yes I am glad we did." Mary said pouring herself another cup of tea.

"We are young, healthy, and we are expecting our first baby in spring of 1924." Collin said, "We will have other children."

"Yes two more and our family will be complete." Mary said,

"Collin oh Collin, I do hope one of our children is a son." Mary says.

"Mrs. Sowerby says this child is a girl." Mary says, "She is seldom wrong."

"I will love a daughter as much as I will love a son. It doesn't matter because grandfather stipulated that the first child born would automatically be heir or heiress to Misselthwaite Manor." Collin said.

Mary was silent but in thought, "I would love a daughter." Mary says

"Lady Elizabeth Lily Rose Craven." Mary said to Collin, "Is it not a beautiful name."

"Yes it is a beautiful name for a daughter of ours." Collin said.

"I know that our second child will be our son." Mary says, "Can you wait for him to be born."

"Yes I am a patient man." Collin said.

"Lord Collin Albert Harry Craven." Mary said thoughtfully, "Is it too much."

"No I don't think so, we will call him Albert." Mary says.

"Yes our son will be called after Uncle Albert." Collin said, "I can wait."

Mary smiled and said, "We have two names but not a third name."

"We will think of one for another boy or girl when the time comes." Collin says.

"Yes we will." Mary says yawning and Collin said, "That dream disturbed your nap and now you are exhausted."

"I am fine now dear Collin, I am tired." Mary said, getting ready to go to sleep.

Collin smiles as Mary undresses herself for bed, he walks over and takes her in his arms and hands move across her soft skin and he starts kissing her all over. His hands move down to her breasts and he plays with her nipples.

Collin takes Mary by the hand and places her own the bed and then he takes off his own clothes and gets on the bed, He starts kissing and she makes little noises and Collin places his hands between her legs and gently parts her legs, and places two fingers inside her vagina and she lets out little pleasurable sounds when he fingers her. He then rises up, and gets gently gets on top of her and inserts his hard penis inside of her. They move up and dawn like two dancers in unison.

Mary and Collin make love for quite a long time and then fall into each other's arms and Collin said, "You are still the only woman I will always love."

Mary smiles at Collin and says, "It is a good thing I am pregnant for surely I would have become pregnant after our love making tonight."

"Yes that may very well be true. I needed you so much Mary. I just didn't want anything to happen to our baby." Collin says.

"The doctor assures me that love making will not hurt the baby. He or she is well protected." Mary answers.

"It makes me happy to see you happy and satisfied." Collin said.

"You always satisfied me my dear Collin." Mary says kissing him, and she rises up to get into her night dress.

Collin gets up and places his robe around him, and said, "You are the only woman that would satisfy me my dear Mary."

Mary smiles and says nothing; she just lies back in their bed.

Collin gets up, walks over to the table and says, "I see we need more tea."

Collin picks up the bell and rings for Mrs. Medlock and she appears at their compartment door and says," Yes Lord Collin can I help you?"

"Yes Mrs. Medlock have the Cook brew us some more chamomile tea." Collin asks.

"Yes Lord Collin I will see to it myself." Mrs. Medlock says.

Mary plumps up her pillows and is lying down on their bed and says, "If you don't stop drinking so much tea you will spend a good time in bath room."

Collin laughs and says, " I hear that same thing about pregnant women."

"That much is true." Mary says.

Mary picks up her book and starts to read it and Collin sits up waiting for the tea.

Before Collin knows it Mary falls fast asleep with her book in her hand. He gently takes it out of her hand and places it on the night table and kisses her good night.

He waits for Medlock to bring him his tea, he drinks a couple of cups of tea and climbs into bed and as soon as his head hits his pillow he falls fast asleep.

Collin and Mary sleep through the night but the sweet voice sings to them, but they don't hear it "Venir pour ma jardin ma enfant venir pour me."

The sweet voice disappears as quickly as it appears.

17


End file.
